Report: Next 4 years will see AI in education grow by nearly 50%

Author

Published

April 25, 2017

Dive Brief:

The use of artificial intelligence in U.S. education stands to increase by nearly 50% in the next five years according to a new report analyzed by eCampus News.

The analysis found that AI-powered educational games are an increasing trend in educational institutions, as they can be utilized to teach students difficult subjects, and many of the AI additions are done in such a way that students can interact directly with the game without human intervention.

Supporters think AI can be utilized to offer each student a personalized educational experience, and that it can help students as they start their college careers by addressing specific needs and questions with the time that staff may not have.

Dive Insight:

Though AI products are partially intended to increase revenue for the industries and institutions that apply it, remaking classrooms and schools with AI additions can currently be very expensive — and there could be a steep learning curve for teachers and other staff before they can apply it for students’ use. The prohibitive costs of tech can result in a lag between the availability of a product and its introduction in the classroom, which could delay the widespread use of AI technology in schools.

While it is unlikely that AI technology would replace professors, assistants and other support staff could eventually see their roles supplanted by the technology. Dee Kanejiya, the CEO of AI ed tech provider Cognii, said earlier this year that he expects AI to take a larger role in grading exams, responding to student inquiries and other roles in the year to come. In the long-term, higher education institutions will have to be careful about the effect on graduate assistants and students who support professors in return for experience on research and projects. The rush toward AI can be beneficial for students, but schools should be reticent about taking opportunities from students in the attempt to utilize technology that might improve their educational experience